Video from the Forum on Police-Community Relations

On October 24, 2013, members of Enough is Enough, along with others in the community gave testimony of Rochester Police Officers behaving aggressively and with brutality at a forum organized by The United Christian Leadership Ministry of WNY, The Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, the NAACP, Spiritus Christi Anti-Racism Coalition. 

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Pastor Nina Warr recounts the day her husband, Benny Warr was thrown to ground from his wheel chair, maced and then kicked and stomped.   She says that her husband has not been the same since.

Witness, Ricardo Adams, describes the intimidating manner in which the police addressed the crowd that day.  He was advised to bring his concerns to the Department  of Professional Standards but decided not to based on his wife's and other's experiences, he says "...it's not an interview, it's an interrogation, trying to find loopholes in your statement."  

Justin testifies of an incident in which officers pull down his pants, fully exposing him in public, searching for drugs that were never there.  Justin followed the protocol for complaining after this incident.  He said the interview room was all glass, exposing him to anyone that happened to be at the station, possibly raising suspicions of snitching, a risk many in the community are not willing to take. Justin questions whether this is a strategy to discourage people from complaining.  Ultimately, his complaints were never addressed and he continues to see the same officers, that humiliated him, patrolling his neighborhood.  I was recently informed that this type of violation by Rochester police officers in public is common, particularly against young men of color.  

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Mark Zullo describes an incident in which an officer holds gun to his head for 30 minutes.  When he does not give the police what they are asking for, they further intimidate him by turning the gun on his friend and threatening his friend's life.  Mark Zullo is a former deputy sheriff, knows the law and knows many influential people and still was not able to see the officers held accountable.

Felicia Abrams tells us how her son was assaulted from behind, choked with a baton and beaten up after stepping outside of a police station to smoke a cigarette. 

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Alleana Ross describes an incident in which her 14 year son, recently recovering from a broken neck, was dragged by his neck.  The officers ignored her pleas and flipped him to the ground by his neck. In her attempt to protect him, she was thrown to the ground, handcuffed and then maced. 

We hear incident after incident of police officers disrespecting, humiliating and brutalizing members of our community.  Many in attendance believe that those testifying at this forum are only the tip of the iceberg. 

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Eric Teifke, Brenda Hardaway's public defender, offers interesting insight about the police department.

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Loretta Scott, Lovely Warren, Alex White and Sherry Walker-Cowart  (the President of the Center for Dispute Settlement)  tell what the city has, could, should and will address.  This segment ends with a notable discussion.  

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Chief Sheppard is asked many questions.  Once again, this segment is worth watching to the end

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